http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/1119/1227026414265.html
this is just stupid currently to get a handgun for target shooting.
join a club. have a safe.have a monitored burgular alarm. interview with a gardi super intendant. have your medical records checked. stop shooting guns must be sold handed in. goverment can rule what type of weapon and how much ammo you can hold.
they only got access to handguns back four years ago after a ban brought in the 1970s.
any crime carried out by legal guns no.
800 illegal guns seized so ban legal guns:banghead:

A BAN on handguns was signalled by Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern. He said that the increasing prevalence of handguns had not come about as a result of any deliberate policy decision by the Government or the House.

"That situation is clearly unsatisfactory and I will be bringing forward effective proposals to deal comprehensively with it," he added.

"There is simply no excuse for the type of gangland activities which we have witnessed. Members of gangs bear complete responsibility for their deeds."

He said he had previously made clear his concern at the number and type of handguns being licensed and a review of the firearms laws was at its final stages.

"My bottom line is this: while I recognise that the vast majority of handgun owners are responsible people, as Minister my concern is the safety of the public, particularly at a time of concern about gun crime," said Mr Ahern.

"I will make a detailed statement in the near future on this matter." He asked if they wanted "as a country to go down the road of America, Finland and others, where there is a proliferation of handguns".

The Minister was speaking during a debate on a Fine Gael Private Members' motion calling for action on crime, following the recent murder of Shane Geoghegan in Limerick.

Mr Ahern said that from the early 1970s, in the light of the Northern troubles, all handguns were banned in the Republic until a few years ago.

Following a series of judicial decisions, that was no longer the case, although there was no public policy decision to lift the ban, he added.

Mr Ahern said that in the longer term, they risked condemning future generations if they did not face up to the deep-seated social problems which had beset parts of Limerick.

He said that work was ongoing on the Criminal Justice (Forensic Evidence and Sampling) Bill providing for the establishment of a DNA database for criminal investigation purposes. He expected to be able to publish the Bill in the new year.

Proposals for a covert surveillance Bill had been approved by the Government earlier in the day, he added.

Fine Gael justice spokesman Charlie Flanagan said that criminal gangs would not prosper in the State if they did not have easy access to drugs.

"The Government likes to point the finger at Foxrock and abdicate its own responsibility in this regard," he added.

"However, the bottom line is Ireland is internally seen as a soft touch when it comes to the importation of drugs. With one Customs boat, one mobile X-ray scanner and a handful of sniffer dogs, this is no surprise."

Mr Flanagan said that while that gross oversight remained, criminal gangs would prosper, innocent victims would be murdered and the Government would have failed the Irish people.

Labour spokesman Pat Rabbitte said that senior Garda appointments should be taken out of the domain of party politics.

"This single decision would give more impetus to the dynamic for genuine change than any of the reforms to date which have met with such mixed success," he added.

He asked if they wanted "as a country to go down the road of America..."

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I am generally frustrated with what I view as unnecessary firearm restrictions already here in the states. My cousins on the other side of the pond, however, view the ability to buy a 22 at a department store worth a trip just to witness the purchase, take photos and report back to their friends how CRAZY we are over here. Holiday trip to Texas to see family! See Dallas Skyline? Check. See Alamo? Check. Watch someone actually BUY a firearm? Check. Proper Holiday Indeed! True Story. Different Strokes, I guess.

Very surprising given the long, sad history of Ireland. Basically since the Norman conquest in 1066, Ireland has suffered under the boot heel of English oppression...sometimes to the point of downright ethnic cleansing during the middle ages. They've only been an independent republic since, IIRC, 1925 or so.

Given that fact, I would think the Irish would want to be more like America or Finland (or Switzerland for that matter) and be able to control their destiny by allowing lawful citizens to own firearms. Weapons control has a very long history in the British Isles and had a lot to do with Ireland's subjegation. Go back another thousand years to about the year 0 and it was a different matter. The Romans were scared to death to tread in what they called Hibernia. Why? The citizenry was armed and they remained free until the Normans came.

Thier not law abiding if the law is changed to make thier possession or actions criminal.

Quite frankly I was surprised that while most of the UK was banning knives, swords, trying to outlaw glass, and insuring the population is on CCTV most of the time, Ireland actualy still allowed handguns.
So it really was only a matter of time.

Got to like this gem as well:

Proposals for a covert surveillance Bill had been approved by the Government earlier in the day, he added.

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Cameras in the open are not enough. Must have hidden cameras all over as well. Keep an eye on those peasants.

The "Ethnic cleansing", Hoosier, was in no way as far back as the "middle ages"............in point of fact it was as recent as just prior to our civil war, and you could present convincing argument that it continued until just after WW2.

The British literally STARVED millions of native Irish to death during the 'potato famine', but it was regarded of little matter as the 'natives' had been nothing but trouble ever since the English took the 'native's' lands.....had the British not been pre occupied with the war in Europe in the teens, it's unlikely that the Irish would even have a 'free state', even then it took a lot of blood and bullets to establish what's now the Republic.

Surely an Irishman could easily look at the Cross of St. George in the same light as a Jew, the Swastika!

My own Grandfather was an escapee from the 2nd famine, a member of the AOH (if you gotta ask, forget it) sent what he could for the "cause", and to his dying day would not even speak to someone of English extraction.

But to remain on point, I agree, any previously oppressed people OUGHT to remain armed, OUGHT to strenuously resist any attempt to force them to remain helpless, be they Hebrew, Hibernian or resident of Darfur, for that matter!! Maybe the first two groups have learned their lesson, but history seems to prove otherwise, I'd hope not, but that certainly seems the pattern.

This is sad that my brethren are doing this. I had hope that Ireland would forgo the English ways so I could one day bring the family over there to return to their roots. At this rate, they'll just become another goddamn European country, so that won't happen.

the cause don't make me laugh 3000 dead in 30 years for sunnybridge for slow learners.
America should be ashamed it ever supported terrorist fund raisers and there murderous fantasys

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Woody, I can tell your feathers have been ruffled by some things that were written, but, other than that, I have no idea what you're going on about. Its partly my own ignorance of world history, but it also has something to be with

A lot of Irish I have met tend to have some pretty anti-gun tendancies as well unfortunately, but most are from the northeast so it could be moreso that they are a product of their environment. With their struggle against Britain, it's unfortunate more are not pro gun.

It’s hardly surprising that ‘Woody’s feathers are ruffled’ with the amount of crap in this thread. Here we go again: a thread that starts about something else ends up with the usual rants about British history - as if America’s history is squeaky clean!

Surely an Irishman could easily look at the Cross of St. George in the same light as a Jew, the Swastika!

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With this type of logic simply substitute the word ‘Irishman’ for Native North America Indians and ‘Cross of St George’ with the Stars and Strips and the same applies.

Also since Southern Ireland sat back and watched Europe burn during WW2 their flag probably has more in common with the Swastika.

Remember the Protestant Irish in Northern Ireland want to be British and are proud to fly the Union Jack along side their own. I ought to know since I am half Northern Irish and have a lot of family there.

Heck the IRA had enough to arm the whole Country. Guess only the criminals will have access, and why not? Look how it worked in New York, Washington, Chicago, San Fran...........................................

I'm laughing at the idea of Ireland suddenly being gun free. I know of many, MANY people who own STENs, copies thereof, homebuilt pistols, etc.

Ireland will never be disarmed. Scotland will never be disarmed. And, just for reference, not even Canada, the USA, or Mexico will be disarmed - and don't think for a moment that the laws actually stop most people.

I am certain that a similar set of regulations is on the way here.
With Eric Holder as AG, and anti gun hussein as president, hold on to your hats, its gonna be one bumpy ride.
The more 'moderate' members need to disabuse themselves of the thought that 'it can't happen here'................because it can, and it will.

I served in Northan Ireland and saw the results of the strugglehttp://cain.ulst.ac.uk/index.html
relatively unbiased academic site for more information with a handy tally of who killed who when.

The so called "war" was a murderous farce from start to finish.
A couple of hundred gunmen are going to drive the British army into the sea think you need to come up with a new plan. especially as the majority of the province want to remain British
leader of sein fein and the IRA gets issued a pistol by the British for self defence doubt bin ladens going to be offered a new kimber
The ira achieved what it has settled for in 1974 but carried on the conflict for another 25 years. That was joke about sunnybridge for slow learners
Norad and other American plastic paddy's helped fuel this conflict the irony being sein fein IRA are Marxist and repaid the cause by training FARC.
Having seen the results of sectarian murder by paramilitaries defending there communities kneecappings as community justice and feuds
Its not surprising the irish are not keen on unrestricted access to firearms the majority of the dead civilians 1799
British security forces 900
republicans nearly 400
That does not include the maimings the people banished on threat of death who still can't return the intimidation etc etc.

The next dictator to try to conquer Europe will have a much easier task this time with a defensless population. I hope the U.S. stays out of it this time. (Although it might be our president who becomes the dictator. What then?)

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